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Pricci's Free Daily Feature Race Analysis

Five days per week and every racing day during the Saratoga meet, John Pricci will provide horse racing selections of that day's feature race. When the racing schedule dictates otherwise, there will be analysis from other major thoroughbred Tracks. Check back here 5 days a week for free horse racing selections.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Doing Whatever It Takes

Yes, we had plenty of rain in the metropolitan area yesterday but high winds as well. Don’t be surprised that by the time the Aqueduct feature is run, the track will be rated fast.

Any moisture remaining, however, would favor early line favorite Whateverittakes (9-5). Sons and daughters of Value Plus move up in the wet.

But this state-bred’s best friend today figures to be his rail slip. After earning a life’s best figure two starts back, he reacted to the effort but now finds himself in the pole position with plenty of time between his best effort and today’s race.

The speedster should take full advantage of the short run to the first turn. Trainer Rick Schosberg has been winless at the meet but his horses are running well, consider seven in-the-money finishes from his last 11 starters. The 3-year-old gelding likes this surface and looks very difficult to stop.

Taking Whateverittakes to win and early line odds or greater, and key-boxing him in multiples with recent impressive maiden breaker Raffinator (8-1) and very solid second favorite Smooth Transition (2-1).

A KISS Is Just a Kiss

Ultimately, today’s Aqueduct feature will probably come down to track condition, expected to be wet. But how that will play on this first day of racing on the winter track is a real unknown variable for us.

We’ll try to keep it on the simple side and side with the almost certain post time favorite Black Pen (9-5). His race two back was out-of-character off the charts, a huge lifetime best. He reacted next time out and today could rebound. Even if he does not, to hold form would give him the edge on this group.

If it weren’t for questionable surface conditions, Red Elephant (5-2) would appear very solid. The 4-year-old gelding kept good company at Monmouth this summer, has run well when campaigned in claiming competition, fits the race shape well and picks up Ramon Dominguez.

Frenchonionsoup, making his second start off a layup, comes off a New Pace Top and ran well in his only start on this surface last December.

Taking Black Pen to win, no price restrictions, and keying him first and second in exactas with his two rivals named here.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Diva’s Gold Going Green

No course in advance handicapping is needed to find the logical favorite and most probable winner in today’s secondary allowance feature at Parx for fillies and mares going a mile and 70 yards.

Ms Vanenzza (2-1) has been competitive in a couple of strongly run overnight stakes, now drops back into allowance company. Trainer Juan Vasquez is batting 30 percent going into the final month of racing in and he’s been getting horses to outrun odds, as indicated by a profitable 2010 ROI. This 3-year-old filly likely will be odds on at post time.

The interesting filly here is the late developing 4-year-old, Diva’s Gold (6-1), who improved dramatically in her second start since Robert Reid’s claim and first on dirt for the new connections. Reid's also having a profitable season.

This miss has a good Parx record with a win and two exacta finishes in three starts over this ground and is a specialist at this hybrid distance, owning a (11) 4-2-1 slate at a mile-and-70. That, and the favorite’s inexperience with this oval, makes the risk worth the potential reward.

Taking Diva’s Gold to win at 5-1 or greater and an exacta box with the favorite.